


Lone Gunman

by Graceful_Storyteller



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: BAMF Nick Fury, BAMF Tony, Dark fic, Gen, don't touch Tony's friends, reference to gun violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-15
Updated: 2013-03-15
Packaged: 2017-12-05 09:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/721284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Graceful_Storyteller/pseuds/Graceful_Storyteller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Few people realise that Tony Stark is far more dangerous than Iron Man.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lone Gunman

When Fury steps into Stark’s beach house, one hand resting casually on his gun, he expects to be greeted by the thinly veiled sarcasm of JARVIS or the blunt derision of its master. He does not expect silence. He does not expect the house to be as black as the night outside.

 

Perturbed, Fury walks back out to the agents camped in Stark’s yard and demands a flashlight. Now armed with a light and four men with assault rifles, Fury carefully makes his way through the beach house in search of its owner; all the while searching for the traps his paranoia insists must be there.

 

Eventually Fury locates Stark. The man is sitting out on his balcony and staring off into the distance. At his feet the dark ocean roars, and on the table rests a recently fired gun beside a decanter of scotch. Fury silently indicates his men should take up their positions before taking the seat on the opposite side of the small table. The two men sit in silence for a long time, both staring out at the pre-dawn sky. Finally, Stark proves he is not a statue by picking up his glass and taking a short swig of scotch. Fury watches him carefully, his eyes drawn to the beacon of light and clean energy that is the Arc Reactor. The blue glow of the small device partially illuminates Stark’s features and the resolve that lies within them. Fury knows then that this will be a truly unpalatable conversation.

 

“I didn’t know you could shoot.”

 

Stark’s smirk is grim. “I use to make weapons; you think I was never curious as to whether I could use them myself? I took shooting lessons in my youth – unofficially, of course - and became a decent shot. Nowhere near as good as Barton, but then he’s freakishly good so that doesn’t say much.” He takes another swig of scotch and adds, “Besides, it’s hard to miss someone when they’re only a couple of feet away.”

 

For a moment Fury just stares at him, keeping his expression neutral. “Why’d you do it son?”

 

Stark also keeps his expression unreadable, but he is unable to hide the tightening of his grip on the glass tumbler. “If Hammer and his minions weren’t such screw-ups Pepper and Happy would be dead. I put the car bomb fragments back together – Hammer’s signature incompetence was all over it. So I decided to go pay Justin a visit, tell him that if he has a problem with me he should say it to my face instead of creating collateral damage. The moron didn’t take me seriously; he thought being a superhero meant I’d developed some moral complex that prevents me from playing by my own rules. He clearly doesn’t know me very well, does he Nicky?”

 

Fury doesn’t flinch at the shark grin Stark flashes him before returning his attention to the horizon. “What happened next?”

 

“I showed him my father’s gun. I hadn’t brought it to use it, just to show him that I meant business. I told him this wasn’t Iron Man telling him to back off – this was Tony Stark warning him that if he pulled a stunt like that again I wouldn’t hesitate to come after him with everything I’ve got. He just laughed; he said I didn’t have the stones to pull the trigger. Idiot.” Stark downs the contents of his glass before turning to fully face Fury. “Did I kill him?”

 

“Not yet,” Fury answers without smiling. “He’s in critical condition and the surgeon seemed disinclined to calculate his chance of survival.”

 

Stark’s response is to pour himself more scotch.

 

“You should have let us handle this,” Fury says eventually. “You didn’t need to confront him. SHIELD has been gathering evidence to put Hammer back in jail ever since his hot-shot lawyer found a loophole to get him out. If you hadn’t decided to go all lone-gunman on him then we wouldn’t be having this conversation and I wouldn’t have to decide whether or not I need to arrest you for attempted murder.”

 

“He planted a _bomb_ Fury, and he practically admitted that it wasn’t meant for me,” Stark snarls. “He purposefully targeted Pepper and promised that next time he’d hire someone who would finish the job. I don’t care if people come after me; I’m Iron Man and understand that that means I will forever have a target painted on my back. But Pepper, Pepper isn’t a superhero, she never asked for any of this. If someone goes after her to get to me then I’m not going to sit on my thumbs waiting for your underlings to screw things up; I’m going to let everyone know that my friends are off-limits. Hammer threatened Pepper and I made it so that he wouldn’t be able to follow through on that threat. You can thank me now, if you want.”

 

The look in Stark’s eyes lets Fury know he’s being goaded into responding. With a deep sigh, Fury says, “I understand the sentiment son, and I won’t say that Hammer didn’t deserve it, but you can’t just go around shooting people! The World Security Council already thinks you’re dangerous and volatile, and this incident hasn’t helped change their opinion.” Fury scrutinises Stark carefully before saying, “If you come quietly I can have a shrink look over you. Claim PTSD after the fiasco in New York. If you’re willing to do a little acting and ass-kissing I might be able to pull some strings and get you off the hook completely.”

 

“Don’t act like you’re doing me any favours Fury,” Stark says wearily. “I know you only want me for my sexy mechanical suit.”

 

Fury snorts and says, “Why so cynical Stark? Maybe I’m starting to develop a soft-spot for your insubordinate wise-ass.”

 

That startles a laugh out of Stark. A little of the old Tony Stark humour returns to his eyes as he grins and says, “Getting sentimental in your old age Fury? Is that why you think you’ll miss me if your bosses throw me in the slammer?”

 

“If that’s the excuse that gets you to shut up and put your hands behind your back then that’s fine by me,” Fury replies as he rises to his feet.

 

Still grinning, Stark also stands and calmly does as Fury asks. When the handcuffs are secured around Stark’s wrists the man walks proudly out to meet Fury’s men, his old mask of arrogance back in place for these strangers. “Be sure to water my plants and walk JARVIS while I’m away!” he calls over his shoulder as Fury hands him over to a group of agents for transport.

 

The director smirks as he replies, “I’ll ask Dr Banner to do the honour.” Stark’s eyes sparkle with mirth and gratitude as he disappears from Fury’s sight. Only once he is gone does Fury sigh and murmur, “One of these days the Starks are going to give me a coronary, I swear,” before leading a team back into the beach house to gather evidence for whatever farce of a trial the World Security Council decide to put on for Stark.  

 


End file.
